Millions of Spaniards stage first general strike in 14 years as anger over housing leads to clashes
Unions said 4 million workers joined the walkout as clashes erupted in Barcelona and Madrid and police made dozens of arrests.
- On Wednesday, November 11, 2026, millions of Spanish workers participated in Spain's first general strike in 14 years, demanding better wages and housing amid a severe cost-of-living crisis.
- Soaring rent prices averaging 1,176 euros —nearly 98.7 percent of young workers' monthly salaries—strained budgets. The eviction and death of 87-year-old Maricarmen last month galvanized campaigners to mobilize union support for the strike.
- Unions reported 4 million participants and disruption reaching 90 percent in automotive manufacturing and ports. The Spanish Confederation of Business Organisations dismissed the walkout as a "failure," estimating average participation below 5 percent.
- Following clashes in Madrid and Barcelona, authorities counted 74 arrests and 20 injuries from police operations. Opposition leaders labeled the strike "political," claiming it was designed to aid Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's Socialist Party before elections.
- The unrest occurs 18 days before the November 29 snap general election, where Sánchez's left-wing coalition trails the conservative People's Party in polls amid corruption scandals and a deadly October train crash that killed 69 people.
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152 Articles
The general strike against the housing crisis had paralysed part of Spain ' s industry and trade; at least 73 people had been detained, while trade unions had declared injured protesters and had filed a complaint against the police.
The general strike in Spain ended with large demonstrations in Madrid and Barcelona. Hundreds of thousands went on the streets nationwide.
Millions of Spaniards stage first general strike in 14 years as anger over housing leads to clashes
A general strike by 4 million Spanish workers — around one-fifth of the total workforce — against the country's housing crisis was mostly peaceful, though by the evening clashes erupted in some areas of Barcelona and Madrid.
Protesters clash with police in Spain after huge housing rallies
Police fired tear gas as sporadic clashes broke out in Madrid and Barcelona on Wednesday after huge protests across Spain over housing affordability and purchasing power just weeks before an early general election.
For the first time in 14 years, a general strike is taking place in Spain, with more than four million workers participating in the protests, with the largest trade unions expressing high support for protests in ports and road traffic up to 90 per cent, and the Volkswagen enterprises in Navarre having been completely shut down because of the strike.
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